(I wrote the following story for The News & Observer and Charlotte Observer; it appeared in both papers on January 31, 2012. It appears here, with links.) Used to be that neighborhood moms got together for lunch or a game of bridge. Today, they’re increasingly likely to gather for burpies, squats and to work up a good sweat. The boot camp workout, born a decade ago and initially targeted to…

Yesterday, I was scheduled to do an 8-mile training run on single-track trail. I also had a boatload of work to do. But the night before, I’d done the math: 8 miles on trail, that’s about 1 hour and 20 minutes at my current pace. Add in 20 minutes of travel time to and from the trailhead and I was looking at an hour and 40 minutes (OK, an hour…

On Saturday’s 6-mile training hike for October 1’s Ultimate Hike, I was asked to clarify the weekly training schedule. “On Monday, it says to cross-train. What would qualify as cross-training?” Something other than hiking that will build your strength, build your cardio, I answered. I ran through a litany of options, from riding a bike, to taking a yoga class to lifting weights. But I missed some obvious ones. Like…

From the research world comes more compelling evidence to be active … Bike to work: It’s good for your heart Remember when people didn’t have gym memberships, didn’t run 5Ks, didn’t sweat to the oldies — and not because they hadn’t been recorded yet? This would have been back when we walked to the factory where they had physically demanding jobs. When we were more concerned about how many $…

Highlights from my first day driving for Raleigh Rickshaw: First fare. My first ride, fittingly was Sig Hutchinson, Mr. Mass Transit in the Triangle. Sig, who in addition to being a huge bike advocate is secretary of the Triangle Transit Authority, was crossing Fayetteville Street on his way to a meeting. “I have to be to a meeting in five minutes he said.” I got him there in plenty of…

It’s one of those chestnuts offered by just about every basic fitness hit list: When you go to the store, don’t spend 15 minutes circling like a vulture waiting for a spot to open close to the door, park at the far end of the lot and walk. Everyone, from Dr. Don Colbert in his “The Seven Pillars of Health” to the New York State Department of Health says it’s…

So maybe you don’t have time to go to Zumba class before work, or walk at lunch, or hit the gym for a cardio workout after 6. That doesn’t mean you can’t get a good workout in in between. Current thinking from the health and fitness world is that bursts of exercise as brief as 10 minutes can boost your cardio fitness. So if you’re wondering if these little things…

“What was that!?” a woman in our group asked. It was a question we all would have asked, if we hadn’t lost our collective breath. The noise had come from somewhere not at all far behind us. It emanated from a living creature, that much I could tell. And it was by far the loudest, most attention-getting noise I had ever heard emanated by a living creature. The ground shook,…

Yesterday, we shared five of the top 10 — Well, pardon me, where’s my sense of propriety? Happy New Year, everyone! Now, what was I saying? Oh, yes … . — exercise trends for 2010, according to the American Council on Exercise. Today, five more. 1. Functional training workouts Functional training workouts will increase in variety, including popular Suspension Training® tools such as TRX.  The portability and time-efficiency of these workouts…

Still searching for the perfect workout for 2010 (which starts tomorrow, btw)? Here are the top 10 fitness trends for 2010, according to a survey by the American Council on Exercise. Time and money appear to play a key role in how we’ll be exercising in the year ahead. “Consumers will really look to maximize their workout results while maintaining a close eye on their budgets this year,” ACE Chief…